Clintonville's Meadows, other jokesters will perform next week during Shadowbox comedy night

Depression, bad relationships and loneliness aren't funny to most people.

But they are to Dustin Meadows.

"My take on modern life is fairly bleak," said the comedian, who lives in the Clintonville area.

"It's truth in comedy. That's just the way it is," Meadows said.

"I tend to be a little bit darker with my material. That's how I find a way to cope with it -- laughing at bad stuff."

Meadows will lead a comedy cavalcade Tuesday, April 16, at Shadowbox Live, 503 S. Front St. in the Brewery District. Doors to the show open at 8 p.m. Admission is $5. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at www.shadowboxlive.org.

Meadows, 29, said discussing his personal anguish is cathartic and helps him relate to the audience.

Growing up in Cardington, a small town about 40 minutes north of Columbus, added to his sense of isolation,he said.

"That fueled my going to college," he said. "And when I was in college, it was pretty dumb, but I finished anyway."

He graduated with a degree in popular culture and film production from Bowling Green State University.

"I chose very poorly," he said.

But it was in college where he started competing in open-mic nights.

After graduation, he moved back home to Cardington and frequently drove to Columbus to hone his craft. Meadows is the most-recent winner of the "Funniest Person in Columbus" contest at the Funny Bone.

He now works at a T-shirt printing shop and, well, he's fairly content.

"It's keeping a roof over my head and gas in my car so I can keep doing what I'm doing with comedy," he said.

Justin Golak, who hosts the comedy nights at Shadowbox, said the Tuesday, April 16, lineup also includes Jason Clemmer, Joseph Ivan, Michael Meyers and Darrell Dawson.

"I think this one is definitely good, a lot of talent," Golak said. "When you give them 12 to 15 minutes each, they get to condense their best material."

The show will be recorded and released as Comedy Goulash Vol. 2.

An early show, Comedy Goulash Vol. 1, recorded April 2, will be on sale from April 25 to May 15. Volume 2 will be on sale from May 16-31. Each will cost $5 and will available for digital download at ccep.bandcamp.com.